Negativity vs. Contentment - The Choice to be Happy

I sometimes struggle with complaining and negativity. I truly think of myself as an optimist and try to turn negative into positive but sometimes I get stuck in a negative rut. One thing I've learned over time is that my happiness is a choice I must make daily. Sometimes I have to make this choice minute by minute. Perhaps it's not so much happiness but contentment that comes minute by minute and contentment breeds happiness.

Negativity comes from discontent. It breeds more negativity and can lead to becoming and remaining very unhappy. Negativity and complaining gets in the way of my happiness. Why would I choose negativity?

• Associating with negative people:  Let's face it - some people are just negative people. Their complaining and negativity can become like a vacuum, sucking me in and catching me up in it with them.
• Change is hard! Often change brings about negative feelings. Few people enjoy change but living means change. So if we plan to go on living, we will continue to experience change.
• Bad things happen - even to people who are good. When bad things happen, it can be easy to get low and when I get low, I sometimes focus on the negative rather than the positive.

What to do? How can I turn it around and make a different choice? Here are some things that help me:

• Get away from negative people. Now I know that sometimes this isn't possible because we all have to work and live with negative people. Check out other options below.
• Change the subject - talk about something that's not negative.
• Find the positive in the situation at hand.
• Manage the change rather than letting the change manage you.
• When bad things happen, look back - God has always given me a way to get through. I look back to see His hand to be reminded that He is faithful.

There are people in life who choose to see the cloud rather than the silver lining. I want to be the one who looks for the silver lining even when others think there is none. Being positive may seem unrealistic but I am a happier person for it! So you see, happiness is a choice.